NEW YORK — A contrite Matt Harvey rejoined the New York Mets on Tuesday and apologized to his teammates after serving his three-day suspension for skipping a game last weekend.
Harvey also apologized to fans who attended Sunday’s game expecting to see him start against Miami. Instead, he was sent home for not showing up to the ballpark for a game the night before.
Harvey was back at Citi Field on Tuesday. Before the Mets’ game against San Francisco, he expressed embarrassment for his actions over the weekend, repeatedly saying, “I made a mistake.”
He acknowledged that he went out Friday night, played golf Saturday morning and did not show up for Saturday night’s game.
“I made a mistake,” Harvey said. “I apologized. All I can do is continue to work to be better and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“I’ve apologized to my teammates for not being here. I’ve apologized to the fans who showed up to see me throw or to see a different outcome of the game. All I can do is apologize for that, move forward, do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen again, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
It was latest flap for a pitcher fined for missing a mandatory team workout before the 2015 playoffs. Harvey was suspended by the team this time, effective Saturday. The penalty cost him $84,016 of his $5,125,000 salary.
“It’s my job to come here and not only be present but also to put myself in the best position to succeed professionally and on the baseball field,” Harvey said.
Mets Manager Terry Collins has said he expects Harvey’s agent, Scott Boras, to challenge the discipline.
Harvey said Tuesday that he had not filed a grievance but did not rule out the possibility of doing so in the future.
TWINS: Major League Baseball upheld a one-game suspension of third baseman Miguel Sano for his role in a scrap with Detroit last month.
MLB announced Sano must sit out Tuesday in Chicago with the Twins playing the White Sox.
ANGELS: Left-hander John Lamb was suspended for 50 games under baseball’s minor league drug program following a second positive test for a drug of abuse.
A former top prospect in the Kansas City Royals’ organization, Lamb had been at extended spring training while he recovers from back surgery. He is on the roster of Triple-A Salt Lake.
TIGERS: Manager Brad Ausmus says Justin Wilson will replace Francisco Rodriguez as the closer.
MARINERS-PHILLIES: Philadelphia acquired reliever Casey Fien from Seattle Mariners for cash.
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